1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mode-setting device, and especially relates to a mode-setting device for photographing devices, such as cameras.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in photographing devices such as cameras and video recorders, various photographing modes and so on can be selected or set. A mode dial, as a mode-setting device, has been used for selecting a desired mode from a plurality of selectable modes. On mode dials, generally, a plurality of selectable modes are marked, and a user moves a mode dial to set a mark of a selecting mode to be in a predetermined rotation position.
On the other hand, in some photographing devices, a photographing lens is automatically housed, when a predetermined mode is selected for protecting the photographing lens.
In case a mode where a photographing lens should not be housed is selected, the photographing lens can be housed once, and then extended. That is, during the mode dial operation, when a mark representing a mode where the photographing lens is housed passes a predetermined rotation position for setting a mode, the photographing lens can be housed. Then, the mode dial can be moved further, and when another mark representing another mode where the photographing lens does not need to be housed passes the predetermined rotation position, the photographing lens can be extended. Due to these unnecessary movements of the photographing lens, electric power is unnecessarily consumed, and the operations take unnecessary time.
When the mark of a mode where the photographing lens should be housed is the first or the last mark on a mode dial, the aforementioned unnecessary movement of the photographing lens, including housing and extending the photographing lens can be prevented. However, for such a mode dial, the operational convenience is low, and the time required for operations is longer than for an endless mode dial, because rotating operations can be interrupted when the mode dial is in the end position.
Further, when a mode where a photographing lens is housed is selected without a mode dial, the selection operation becomes complicated, and the structure of the photographing device can be complex.